Earl Bell

[vaultfan]

Wednesday, October 16, 2002 Four stars elected to Hall of Fame INDIANAPOLIS – Pole vaulter Earl Bell, middle distance runner Steve Scott, sprinter Gwen Torrence and race walker Larry Young are the 2002 inductees into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame, USA Track & Field announced Wednesday.

Bell, 47, was the 1984 Olympic bronze medalist and the 1987 World Indoor Championships bronze medalist in the pole vault. A three-time Olympian and a former world record holder, he was a three-time winner of both the USA Indoor and Outdoor titles. He also won three NCAA Outdoor crowns.

EARL BELL: Born August 25, 1955. One of the most accomplished U.S. men’s pole vaulters in history, Earl Bell tied Thierry Vigneron of France for the bronze medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, with a clearance of 5.60 meters/18 feet, 4.50 inches. Bell qualified for two additional U.S. Olympic teams, placing sixth in 1976 and fourth in 1988. The gold medalist at the 1975 Pan American Games, Bell also won the silver medal at the 1987 World Indoor Championships and the bronze medal at the 1986 Goodwill Games. Bell won three U.S. Outdoor (1976-84-90), and three U.S. Indoor (1980-84-87) titles during his career. He also won three NCAA Outdoor titles (1975-76-77), and two NCAA Indoor titles (1975-76). Bell set the world outdoor record of 5.67m/18-7.25 on May 29, 1976 at the USTFF Championships in Wichita, Kansas, and he set the American record of 5.80m/19-0.25 in San Jose, California on June 9, 1984. Bell now is renowned as one of the top pole vault coaches in the country, with American record holder Jeff Hartwig, Olympians Kellie Suttle and Chad Harting, and 2001 World Indoor silver medalist Tye Harvey among the athletes training under him.